Ajaypal Singh Dhaliwal a Canadian of Punjabi origin living in Brampton, Ontario has become the first Canadian Punjabi to successfully climb Mount Everest and return safely after facing life threatening conditions during the descent.
Dhaliwal reached summit of Mount Everest which stands at 8,848.86 metres on May 20 and the climb was part of a record breaking day on Nepal side of Everest where 274 climbers successfully reached the top due to favourable weather conditions and Expedition Operators’ Association of Nepal confirmed the record number of summits in a single day.
Originally from Punjabi community Dhaliwal was among three Indians who summited Everest that day and the other two climbers were Tulasi Reddi Palpunoori and Sandeep Are.
While reaching summit was a major achievement after years of preparation and training the descent became extremely dangerous for Dhaliwal in “Death Zone” which is the area above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are very low and weather conditions are severe.
According to reports Dhaliwal faced serious trouble during the descent after his oxygen supply dropped to critically low levels and allegedly Dhaliwal was left behind during the descent after being separated from his Sherpa guide however Dhaliwal continued moving through freezing temperatures, strong winds and exhaustion despite running low on oxygen.
To continue descending Dhaliwal reportedly used his safety belt to slide down steep icy slopes and during one such attempt he crashed and lost consciousness in the extreme cold.
After regaining consciousness in darkness and freezing weather conditions Dhaliwal managed to signal for help by flashing his headlamp and a group of four climbers including Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, noticed the signal and came to assist him and the team reportedly shared oxygen supplies and helped him continue the descent to safety.
Dhaliwal’s experience is a story of determination and courage as he survived dangerous return journey from one of harshest environments in the world. The story has since gained attention among Punjabi communities in Canada and Punjab with many people calling it an inspiring example of determination, endurance and survival against difficult odds.
Mount Everest remains one of the world’s most dangerous climbing challenges and every year climbers face risks including lack of oxygen, freezing temperatures, avalanches and exhaustion, especially during the descent which is considered one of the most critical parts of the expedition.
